This intellectual biography of the 16th century Italian quotes exclusively from Machiavelli's own words rather than quoting others who commented upon him. In this way de Grazia, a professor at Rutgers, paints a colorful portrait of the man entirely in the context of his time. In The Prince Machiavelli had famously examined the dilemma of the ruler who must find a resolution between political necessity and ethical behavior. By thus inventing 'realpolitik' Machiavelli entered the language of political discourse, and got himself rather a bad name. De Grazia's book, which won a Pulitzer Prize, goes some way to rehabilitating him, suggesting that his immoral means were put to good political ends.


From Publishers Weekly
De Grazia's Pulitzer Prize-winning biography of the author of The Prince and a study of the roles of work and leisure in Western culture. Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.


Joseph Frank
"A model of how intellectual biography should be done."


From the Publisher
"A model of how intellectual biography should be done."--Joseph Frank

ANNOTATION

The Pulitzer prize winning biography of Machiavelli.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly